Bible Study – The Trinity
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
We begin the season with two Feast days: Pentecost, followed by Trinity Sunday. Then we move on to the long season known as Ordinary Time, which runs through Christ the King Sunday. As we take this journey, nourished by the scriptures appointed for the season and empowered by our baptisms, we are invited to be on the lookout for all the blessings found in the ordinary – to see God at work here and now. And we are compelled to share our blessings with others. Our theme for this lengthy season is “Blessed is the Ordinary.”
Learned leaders of the church struggle to communicate the concept of the "Trinity," our God who is three-in-one. A learned leader named Nicodemus went to Jesus in the night to struggle with the concept of "born again." We stretch for a deeper understanding of God's longing for us and with our call to respond, as John 3:16b says that eternal life is for those who believe in God.
This Sunday has a name in our church and the name is Trinity Sunday. It means three and that we, the church, think of God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.
The Trinity is a concept difficult for many to grasp. This poem may give you a better understanding.
Three folds of the cloth, yet only one napkin is there,
Three joints in the finger, but still only one finger fair,
Three leaves of the shamrock, yet no more than one shamrock to wear.
Frost, snow-flake and ice, all in water their origin share,
Three Persons in God; to one God alone we make prayer.
traditional Gaelic poem
Opening Prayer: Thank you, God, for being our Father, our Jesus, and our Holy Spirit. Amen.
Please open your Bibles to John 3:1-17 and read or read the scriptures below.
John 3:1-17
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Reflection Questions:
- What is a Pharisee? (A very devout man who was leader of many Jewish priests and very respected)
- Why do you think Nicodemus came to talk to Jesus?
- Why do you think he came in the middle of the night?
- What does Nicodemus understand when Jesus says he must be "born from above"?
- What do we understand Jesus to be saying? (Baptism is the way to start over.) In verse 16 we have what has been called "The Gospel in miniature."
Click here for the young learner’s lesson.
Videos (Click on url)
John 3:1-17 Entering The Reign of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ckjqlnF7Ko
or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv2IoEeu8pw
Book of John Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-2e9mMf7E8
Song: Spirit of the Living God - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccaFnRYLTok
Activities:
The Trinity: Write verse 16 on a piece of stock card or heavy paper and then decorate the paper with triangles (or shamrocks or other 3-sided objects that you can think of. Find examples on the url’s below. Make sure to write "God" "Jesus" "Spirit" on the three sides. Father Holy Spirit Son.
Trinity examples: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/470274386089891963/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/780178335460328451/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/50102614597988313/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/725220346273380961/
Getting Closure: If you were to go to see Jesus tonight, what might you ask him?
God So Loved the World - Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/god-so-loved-the-world
God So Loved the World - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/god-so-loved-the-world-2
God So Loved the World – Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/god-so-loved-the-world-1
Prayer: Thank you, God, for showing us that by believing in Jesus we will have eternal life. Help us to see you in the world around us and to live faithfully. Amen.
